Indian army kills 2 militants in gun fighting in India-controlled Kashmir

20 August 2009Xinhua

SRINAGAR: Two militants owing allegiance to Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit were killed Wednesday in a gun fighting in India-controlled Kashmir, a defense spokesman Thursday said. The encounter broke out Kuchhal forests of Kishtwar district, 230 kilometers northeast of Jammu, the winter capital of India-controlled Kashmir. Two militants were killed in a joint operation carried out by Indian army and Central Reserve Police Force paramilitary troopers in Kishtwar area. The gun fighting broke out after the joint party cordoned the area to arrest the holed up duo, said defense spokesman Jammu, Lt. Col. Biplab Nath. However the militants fired upon the party and initiated a gunfight. The standoff lasted for hours together, he said. He said that the operation was carried out on prior information about the presence of militant in the area. Nath also claimed that an assault rifle and some ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Gun fighting between militants and Indian army troopers in Indian-controlled Kashmir takes place intermittently. Police and defense officials maintain that most of the times the operations triggering gun fights are carried out on prior information about presence of militants in specific areas. There has been a surge in militancy related incidents since Aug.1.